Seen “Spawn” or “Batman”? Or, for that matter, “Lethal Weapon”? The amply violent “Steel” feels diluted by comparison.
Lovable goof Shaquille O’Neal plays military scientist John Henry, who adopts the alter ego of “Steel” when the new weaponry he creates falls into the wrong hands. Henry must, of course, take off the kid gloves to capture the bad guys. But several overwrought fight scenes are, if not too violent, just plain stupid. Think the inconsequential laser tag of G.I. Joe cartoons with its absurdly low death toll.
Although “Steel” (PG-13) avoids vulgarity and skirts the issue of sex between the two lead characters, it also sends some confusing messages. Adolescent gangbangers, for example, become convenient scapegoats and are blown away with nonchalance. So while there’s nothing too bad for the children here, it’s not particularly good for them either.
“Air Bud” (PG) — He’s got a serious nose for the ball — a cold, wet one, to be exact. Air Bud, the lighthearted story of a boy and his hoops-shooting dog, should be a hit with children and parents alike. The basketball scenes are loads of fun. And aside from a little canine mayhem and an unsavory rent-a-clown (played by Michael Jeter), there’s little here to set off parental alarms.
“Air Force One” (R) — Russian terrorists led by Gary Oldman hijack the plane of the U.S. president (Harrison Ford), who is on board with his wife, daughter and important staff members. Special effects set this thrilling, action-adventure movie apart from similar films, but language and violence earn it its rating.
“Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” (PG-13) — Mike Myers’ comedy features extended routines about almost every bodily function but vomiting, so in theory it could have been worse. And given the hero is a swinging ’60s playboy unfrozen in the prim-and-proper ’90s, the wink-wink sex quotient is abundant, to say the least.
“Batman and Robin” (PG-13) — Uma Thurman is a memorable villain, loaded with sexual innuendo as Poison Ivy. But Arnold Schwarzenegger is a distinctly disappointing Mr. Freeze. The violence is stylized, and the language cartoonish. Only the biggest Batflick fanatic will claim not to be frequently bored.
“Contact” (PG) — The story of an astronomer who hears signals from a life form in a distant star will intrigue young viewers fascinated with science and space exploration. But its deliberate pacing will derail some audiences.
“Face/Off” (R) — Because of co-stars Nicolas Cage and John Travolta, teens and younger kids may want to see it, but this movie definitely earns the adults-only rating. The action, violence, villain and everything else are over the top.
“The Fifth Element” (PG-13) — Imagination-starved kids should eat this one up like an ice cream sundae. Some of the material is designed for teens more than tots, especially a bizarre sexual encounter and co-star Milla Jovovich’s skimpy wardrobe. The language is generally clean, the violence standard-issue comic book and the pace brisk.
“Free Willy 3” (PG) — Kids get to see their own kind make good in this whale of a sequel. While the plot is a tad thin, the characters manage to express anger and frustration without profanity, and the violence is held to a bare minimum. The moral of the story is obvious from the start, and no one gets hurt in the end. Not even the whalers.
“George of the Jungle” (PG) — It’s not a comic masterpiece, but it’s a broad and funny live-action update of the animated television show. The movie could rival and maybe even surpass “Hercules” as the favorite kid flick of the summer. Parents will enjoy it too. The rating is for some mild expletives and bathroom humor.
“Good Burger” (PG) — Teenage comedy duo Kenan and Kel must save their burger joint from going out of business when threatened by evil competitors across the street. As the obtuse Ed, Kel is the real draw for kids. He’s so dippy he’s hilarious. The rest of the action and the star-studded cameos by Sinbad and Shaquille O’Neal don’t amount to much.
“Hercules” (G) — Disney’s 35th big-screen ‘toon plays like a breeze after the pretentions of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and the self-conscious sincerity of “Pocahontas.” The movie plays fast and loose with Greek mythology, and the score lacks a song of evergreen appeal, but its popularity is assured.
“Jungle 2 Jungle” (PG) — Tim Allen stars in this remake of the recent French bomb “Little Indian, Big City,” but he displays none of the charm of his previous film work (“The Santa Clause” and “Toy Story”) or his hit TV series, “Home Improvement.” In “Jungle,” Allen brings the 13-year-old son he never knew he had from a South American jungle village to New York.
“The Lost World: Jurassic Park” (PG-13) — The Steven Spielberg sequel boasts creatures more varied in shape, size and agility than its predecessor. The interaction between leaping lizards and frightened humans is more frequent and intense than before. But be aware: The deaths come in lots of bone-crunching formats.
“Men in Black” (PG-13) — Young moviegoers, as well as older ones, should have a blast at this movie. The only disappointed viewers will be those who expect exhilarating outer-space scenes. The film contains comic-book-style violence, a few fleeting moments of gore and occasionally feisty language.
“Mrs. Brown” (PG-13) — This finely acted drama centering on Queen Victoria’s friendship with Scottish servant John Brown is a bit highbrow for young audiences. Judi Dench plays the queen and Billy Connolly plays the servant. The film contains brief nudity.
“My Best Friend’s Wedding” (PG-13) — Audiences of all ages and genders should enjoy at least parts of this comedy. Julia Roberts plays a mean-spirited writer trying to break up her friend’s wedding.
“Nothing to Lose” (R) — Tim Robbins is an advertising executive who discovers his wife (Kelly Preston) is having an affair with his boss, flees home, drives aimlessly through town, gets lost and is confronted by a fast-talking carjacker (Martin Lawrence). This begins a series of events that make this movie an unusual buddy/road-trip picture. Strong language, mild violence and some nudity.
“Operation Condor” (PG-13) — This is the fourth Jackie Chan movie imported from Hong Kong and Americanized, and it’s full of his trademark choreographed stunts. Aside from the violence, there’s brief nudity.
“Picture Perfect” (PG-13) — Die-hard “Friends” fans will comprise the most appreciative audience for this often listless comedy about a career-driven woman (Jennifer Aniston) who invents a fiance. The film contains some language and mild sexual innuendo.
“The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli and Baloo” (PG) — This live-action “prequel” is supposed to be based on Rudyard Kipling’s magic tales, but it’s really a broad adventure-comedy about four guys trying to catch a boy raised by wild animals. Kids will enjoy monkeyshines and stunts. Brief language, mild violence and child-in-jeopardy scenes.
“Shall We Dance?” (PG) — This delicate Japanese romantic comedy has a little language but otherwise it’s all-family fare. A middle-aged accountant finds joy in ballroom dancing and a young woman rediscovers the joy of dance by teaching. Low-key, gentle film with some hilarious moments.
“A Simple Wish” (PG-13) — This splashy comedy wannabe falls into the “in-between” stages and never rises above the cracks. In trying to please grownups, it strives for a sophisticated satirical approach that’s not sharp enough for adults and will bore and bewilder young viewers.
“The Sixth Man” (PG-13) — College basketball star Antoine Tyler (Kadeem Hardison) is about to realize his dream of making it to the NCAA championships when he dies of heart failure. Language, crude dialogue and jokes, adult issues about the grieving process, death.
“Speed 2: Cruise Control” (PG-13) — It’s hard to imagine this movie, which has some harsh language, making a splash with audiences of any age. It treads water for the first half, and when it finally gears into action mode, most of the danger shots are predictable.
“The Swan Princess: Escape From Castle Mountain” (G) — Kids who liked the original Swan Princess (1994) might like to follow up on the characters, but the intricacies of Odette and Derek’s married life won’t thrill them. Newcomers to the series might want to opt for the video of the first one instead.
“Trial and Error” (PG-13) — See Jeff Daniels vomit! See Michael Richards stumble! There’s nothing very offensive here, but there’s nothing very good about it either. There’s a nifty be-true-to-yourself moral to be had if you can last long enough.
“Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie” (PG) — Given the Rangers’ preschool power base, you have to wonder why this movie contains PG-provoking content. Of course, kung-fu combat and fiery explosions are required elements. But what about the bosomy villainess, bursting from her space-pirate’s corset?
“Ulee’s Gold” (R) — Peter Fonda is a reclusive beekeeper struggling to make ends meet while taking care of his two granddaughters. He gets more than he bargained for when he finds the girls’ drug-addicted mother and brings her home to live with them. The sweet, simple story might be healing for those who have had family problems.
“Warriors of Virtue” (PG) — This live-action fairy tale follows a young boy who falls into a magical world and joins a band of talking kung-fu kangaroos in their fight with an evil warlord. There’s some occasionally peppery language, but in an era when “scary” has come to mean gore and violence, “Warriors’ ” villain is scary in the old-fashioned, evil-queen-in-“Sleeping-Beauty” way.
“Wild America” (PG) — In summer 1967, three brothers (Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Devon Sawa and Scott Bairstow) set out across America to film endangered wildlife, and in the process have several close calls. The movie delivers an old-fashioned message about love, family, loyalty and truth. The spirit of adventure and the relationships between the boys and their parents make it a wonderful family film.
